Other News In Brief

Teacher Pay Talks Failure 'Hugely disappointing' – Mathison

Alliance Party Education spokesperson, Nick Mathison MLA, has said that the breakdown in pay negotiations between the Department for Education and teachers is "hugely disappointing".

Mr Mathison said that the failure of talks means that action short of strike will now take place following rejection of the offer from employers, including the Department.

"It is hugely disappointing these negotiations have broken down, as those who will suffer the most will be our children and young people," said Mr Mathison, Chair of the Assembly’s Education Committee.

"Teachers deserve fair pay for the work they do in schools every day and it is vital their workload issues are also addressed. Many are at breaking point. That makes it even more concerning the Department has been unable to provide the necessary assurances it is genuinely committed to meaningfully addressing these matters and to delivering an agreed settlement.

"Both sides need to get back around the negotiating table and revive this process. Action short of a strike impacts our children more than anyone, so a resolution is needed without delay.

"In particular, teachers have interpreted statements in the pay offer as an attempt to dilute their right to strike. Alliance supports the right of workers to take industrial action and the Department must rebuild trust in this area and get a deal over the line. I hope an agreement is reached soon."

SF Welcomes £17m Storm Éowyn Recovery Funding

Sinn Féin has welcomed the announcement of funding to assist communities to recovery from Storm Éowyn.

Speaking after the Executive agreed to allocate over £17 million to departments, the party's spokesperson for rural communities, Áine Murphy MLA, said: “I welcome today’s allocation of over £17 million from Finance Minister John O’Dowd to help public services and communities recover from Storm Éowyn.

“This is a positive announcement and will provide some additional help to those still feeling the effects of the storm. “I also want to take this opportunity to praise all those frontline workers who have been on the ground to assist with the recovery, supporting residents, businesses and infrastructure.

“I hope this money can now get out the door as quickly as possible to ensure it reaches those who need it most.

“Sinn Féin will continue to urge NIE and the Utility Regulator to agree a compensation scheme for customers affected by outages.

DUP Calls For Urgent Action On Occupational Health Services For Serving Police Officers

The DUP has called for urgent action to improve occupational health services for serving PSNI officers, including those struggling with mental health issues as a direct result of their experiences in frontline roles.

After raising the issue at a meeting of the Policing Board on Thursday, lead Policing Board representative Trevor Clarke MLA said: "It is harrowing that many PSNI officers are continuing to face significant delays in accessing occupational health support or securing ill-health retirement.

"In recent weeks, I have been contacted by two different serving members of the PSNI expressing utter despair. One officer, completely broken by the pressures of the job, and a lack of effective support within the organisation, admitted to being on the brink of suicide and was only deterred by thoughts of the devastating impact on his children.

"The welfare of our police officers must be an absolute priority. These are individuals who put themselves in harm's way to protect the public, yet when they need support, it is sorely lacking.

"The emotional toll on officers is significant and there ought to be an onus on the PSNI SET to roll-out a model of in-work support that is focused on prevention of poor physical, psychological and social wellbeing, as well as earlier intervention.

"The Chief Constable has indicated that he wants to root out potential fraud within the IHR system but that must not be the detriment of a sustained focus on improving outcomes, and access, for those in legitimate and desperate need of care and support.

"There must be a robust and effective system in place to ensure that those who serve our communities receive the right help at the right time."